John Jay Hooker loses again on judicial selection

John Jay Hooker continues to challenge the state over the issue of having Supreme Court Justices appointed, instead of elected. He wants judges to be voted on by the public.
(Photo:
Larry McCormack / File / The Tennessean
)

A special state Supreme Court panel has refused to rehear a case that challenged the constitutionality of the way Tennessee selects its judges.

John Jay Hooker, a former Democratic candidate for governor who has long been a foe of the way Tennessee picks its judges, asked the court to rehear the case after it ruled against him last month.

Hooker has argued that the state constitution calls for judges to be chosen by contested popular election. Tennessee has a system that calls for the governor to pick someone to fill a judicial vacancy from a list of nominees submitted by a commission.

Voters will get to decide in November whether they want to change the state constitution to allow the governor to appoint judges and get legislative confirmation.